The Rose
by Fantasmic17
Summary: Ron has been missing for three days and Harry and Hermione have no clue why. The reason is revealed when they discover that he has been working for the order in a secret war against Voldermort and his thousands of new followers. Suddenly Harry and Hermi
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1: A Summon From Dumbledore

"Wake up! Wake Up!". Harry Potter could feel his bed violently being shaken. i Probably Dean Thomas pretending that the French were attacking Hogwarts. /i thought Harry. i What a nightmare! And he knows that I am still upset over Ron missing/i "Dean, for the third time in three nights go back to bed!" said Harry sleepily without opening his eyes. "Mr. Potter, if I were Dean Thomas at this hour I would be over in the corner feasting on chocolate Frogs and Every Flavored Beans now wouldn't I." I True /i Harry thought as he opened his eyes and stared into the cold, stern (yet warm) gaze of Minerva McGonagall.

"I suggest that you put some suitable clothes on because a trip to Dumbledore's office in only a pair of i Hanes Classics /i will be sure to bring you down with a cold. Harry then realized that he had been showing his entire naked body to his Head of House! He quickly pulled up the sheets on his neck up and nodded as the woman whispered "I will give you exactly five minutes to get dressed. Make sure you bring a roll of parchment and a quill as you will be needing to take many notes.". Harry could not remember a time where he had been asked to take notes in Dumbledore's office. But he did not question McGonagall seeing how she was always right. "I will be waiting for you down in the common room. I trust you won't take long.". With that she shut the door and left Harry alone on his bed wondering what Dumbledore could possibly want from Harry in the middle of the night.

As he climbed out of bed he felt a cold breeze on his bare legs and chest. After a slight shiver he walked over to the window above his pillow and closed it. Then he got dressed into his regular school robes and reached for his glasses that stood on the nightstand. With a look of determination he shoved them up to the bridge of his nose and with an air of satisfaction strode to the door and walked down the stairs to the quietly lit common room.

There was Professor McGonagall standing by the hearth just as she had said. But there was another woman talking to her whose back was to Harry. The woman had a soothing, sweet voice like an angel and when she turned around Harry felt as if a swarm of butterflies flew down his throat and into his stomach preventing him from speaking or breathing. "Oh, hey Harry." she said with a casual voice. "Hermione..." Harry said dreamily. He was in love.

He had been in love with her ever since she had given him a kiss on the cheek at the end of their fourth year. The only problem was that she was with somebody else. The fact that the woman he loved and his other best friend, Ron Weasley, were going out was hell to Harry. Whenever he saw them together he sometimes wondered if he could treat Hermione just as well, or possibly better then Ron did. At least he wasn't entirely alone. Luna Lovegood was the only human being in the world who knew about Harry's feelings for Hermione. On the day that Harry and his friends had got on the Hogwarts Express and Hermione and Ron had left Harry with Luna and Neville to go to the Prefect's Carriage, Luna caught Harry staring down the aisle after Hermione. Suddenly she declared in a loud voice (very much like Professor Trelawney's) "You love her!". Ever since then Harry had finally found someone he was able to confide his secret in. Over the past few weeks he had gone to see Luna to tell her what he had been feeling as she nodded along and gave him advice like a witch version of Oprah. But the bottom line was that he was in love with Hermione and he couldn't have her.

"Harry?" came the soft sweet voice. "Are you okay?". "Yeah, yeah." he said as he slowly floated out of his dream world and back down to earth. "Just a little sleepy that's all.". Finally Professor McGonagall exclaimed "Now that we are all here we should start heading down.". As she said this she led them through the portrait hole and out into the corridor.

"What are you doing here." Hermione whispered loudly. "I was just about to ask you the same question." said Harry in the same manner.

As the three of them walked through the winding castle corridors the wheels in Harry's head were turning. "What could Dumbledore possibly want from him in the middle of the night. Then it came to him. It had to be about Ron. Maybe he had gotten found and he was just playing hooky as a joke. But then Harry thought about the parchment and quill he had in his hands. Was this some kind of night class that Dumbledore wanted Harry and Hermione to take.

But a headache was saved as they finally reached the gargoyle. Professor McGonagall turned around and Harry could see a lecture coming. "Now before we enter the office I would like you to know that everything that is said behind the gargoyle is strictly confidential and must not be repeated to anyone. Understood?". "Yes Professor." said Harry and Hermione simultaneously. "Very well then." and with that she turned to the gargoyle and said loudly and clearly "Acid Drops".

As the gargoyle began to move Harry had not the slightest idea of what journey lay before him and Hermione.

After three days of Ron missing from Hogwarts and many search parties, Harry and Hermione are woken in the middle of the night and are taken to Dumbledore's office where they are assigned to a dangerous mission.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: The Secret Mission

p Harry swung the door open to find Dumbledore tending to his pet Phoenix, Fawkes, who had just erupted into flames and was now arising form the ashes, reborn and new. Hermione walked in through the open door and Harry thought he could almost hear a tiny "thank you".

"Sit down, sit down." said Dumbledore's quiet voice. Harry saw him wave his wand and out of nowhere came two chairs and they landed in front of his desk. Harry watched Hermione take the right chair and as Harry closed the door he followed suite. After they had been seated Dumbledore said "Perhaps a couple of drinks." in a casual voice that made Harry think that He had invited them down to his office for a mere party. And once again Dumbledore waved his wand and three glasses and a bottle that looked like Madame Rosmerta's wine, came floating out of a cupboard and landed softly on his desk. As Dumbledore started to pour into the third glass Hermione declared "I'm fine thank you.". Harry stared at her for Hermione had never given up a good drink. "What..." she said. "I've been saving myself for the end of the war. You know rations and all." she said as if she was lying. Harry looked at her strangely as Dumbledore carried on as if nothing had been said.

"Now you are probably wandering why I would wake you from you're sleep and drive you to my office, forcing you to carry with you a roll of parchment and a quill, in the middle of the night.". "Yes sir." said Harry and Hermione simultaneously (for the second time in one night). "You perhaps think that this meeting is about you're friend and companion Ronald Weasley. Well, if you think this way then you are partially right.". Hermione's heart leaped as he mentioned Ron's name. Harry noticed this and his heart did the exact opposite. Dumbledore rambled on. "As you might have read in the i Daily Prophet /i Voldemort is obsessed with religious artifacts. He's a nut on the subject. He believes that if he is to capture the lost Ark or the Holy Grail that his army of Death Eaters will be free to march across the face of the earth."

Harry at once heard Hermione's voice (oh that sweet, sweet voice) "Excuse me professor, but what does this have to do with Ron.". "Oh, all of this has to do with Mr. Weasley." replied Dumbledore. "You see, he is a spy who is undercover to try to recover these objects before Voldemort does.". Harry couldn't believe what he had just heard. Ron had been sent undercover to help the ministry in the war and was gone within a night. Hermione at once leaped onto Dumbledore's desk a yelled "Professor! I cannot believe that you would put a student into so much jeopardy that they could die. And think that the ministry wouldn't have a field day if he did!". "Ms. Granger, you have to understand that I did not assign him to that post. He volunteered." said the old wizard with satisfaction. Hermione looked as if she had been shot and sat back down into the chair. "I regret to inform you that he has been abducted by Voldemort during course of action." he said, sounding like a war reporter who had just reported to the family of the lost one. Harry could see tears running down Hermione's face. Silent tears. "Now would probably not be a good time to inform the two of you that it would be my greatest wish to send you to find you're dear friend and while doing this carry out the task that Mr. Weasley was assigned.".

Harry had expected this from the moment that Dumbledore had mentioned Ron's mission. After a long silence Harry finally said "We'll do it.". Hermione looked at him with a look of determination on her face, all tears gone. "I'll kill the bastards that did this to him and do it with or without help.". "What are talking about of course I'll help you." Harry said meekly. "Thanks Harry.". Harry's heart leaped for joy. He and Hermione were in this together and now there was no getting out of it.

"Very well then. Now here are you're dossiers" as he said this he opened a drawer in his desk and pulled out two file folders that looked like they had many pieces of parchment and plastic bags filled with substances in them. "and I will give you a briefing of what is going on.". Harry suddenly felt like the muggle movie hero James Bond. Dumbledore started the pep talk. "Our Aurors have recovered evidence of a secret base in north Egypt and it looks like Voldemort has been digging a drastic hole in the ground beside of it. Our guess is that he is looking for some religious artifact as there is a lot of History in the country of Egypt.". Harry's voice piped up "And he's using muggles to do his dirty work." he said as he looked at a still of the hole. There were many native Egyptians with shovels digging in the massive hole. Dumbledore then said "That reminds me. It just so happened that our minister has convinced the Prime Minister of England to help us in our struggle so on you're journey to our outpost in Cairo you will be meeting many muggles.".

Suddenly there was a sense of adventure in the office and Harry looked at Hermione. This would be a chance to get to know Hermione a lot better for now they were secret agents going on a secret mission. Maybe perhaps something might grow between them during this time. "I expect to meet you here in my office around this time tomorrow packed and ready to head to Cairo. Understood?". "Yes sir" said Harry and Hermione simultaneously for the third time that night. "Alright then. Now get a good rest now and eat a full meal tomorrow.". Harry and Hermione walked out of the office and the whole way back to the common room talked of nothing else but secret missions and spies.

Harry and Hermione finally make it to Dumbledore's office and learn why Ron has been missing. They are also assigned to a dangerous mission.


	3. Chapter 3

Harry and Hermione pack for Cairo and startling information about Hermione is revealed.  
Chapter 3: Preparing For Cairo br /   
br /   
p The next morning Harry got up and out of bed and once again he felt a felt a cold breeze on his bare chest and legs. Then he walked over to the open window and closed it. Harry hurriedly got his clothes and walked down to the common room where Hermione had said she would meet him the night before. /p br /   
p As they started to walk down to the great Hall Hermione said "I wonder what we are going to need to go to Egypt." Harry had been wondering the same thing and suddenly he had an idea. "Hey, since today is a Saturday and we don't have any classes, why don't we stop by the room of requirement." Hermione's eyes lit up and she said "What a fantastic idea! I never would have thought of the room of requirement!" br /   
p Like Dumbledore advised, Harry and Hermione ate a good, full breakfast. While they did this Harry realized for the first time that this could very well be their last day at Hogwarts. Dumbledore didn't even know how long the mission was going to take. This meant he had to say goodbye to his friends. This would not be easy. How do you tell a friend you are going away for perhaps the rest of the school year without even letting them know you are going somewhere. But then Harry thought that if Ron could do it then so could he. /p br /   
p After they had eaten breakfast, Harry and Hermione headed to the room of requirement. They finally got there and decided they were going to think i show us what we will need to go to Cairo /i . They walked past it three times and waited for the door to appear. But nothing happened, the wall stood solid as a rock. Then it came to them. "Harry, do you think that Dumbledore destroyed the room of requirement after the whole Malfoy incident." That was a very logical guess and Harry decided to go along with it. Always, Harry hated arguing with Hermione. "Well then we should stop wasting our time here and start packing for Cairo." he replied. /p br /   
p They headed down the hall to where the portrait of the Fat Lady hung. "Caput Draconis" said Hermione and the portrait swung open. The fire was lit even though it was over ninety degrees outside. Harry took the right staircase and Hermione took the left. When he got to his dormitory he was glad to see that is was completely empty and got his suitcase from out of his bed and began neatly piling clothes into it. /p br /   
p After he had finished this he cautiously looked behind his shoulder and reached under his bed and grasped a plastic CD case. It was "Andrew Lloydd Webber's i The Phantom of the Opera /i " He had gone to the Broadway show in London with Hermione and Ron over the summer Ron thought it was a waste of money and Harry and Hermione liked it very much. After the show had ended Harry had pretended to go to the bathroom but secretly went to one of the stands outside the theater and bought the soundtrack. /p br /   
p After he put this into his bag he packed the novel he was reading "The Pelican Brief" into his side pocket. He then headed down the stairs and up to the Girls Dormitory. He opened the door to find Hermione putting her novel ("A Time To Kill") into her duffle bag. "Harry, I was just about to come down. Well, are you ready." Harry replied "Yeah, but before we send our bags to Dumbledore let's drink to Ron." Harry pulled out a bottle of wine and two glasses. He poured and raised his glass. "To Ron." he said. "To Ron" said Hermione following suite. Harry noticed that yesterday she had not drunk Dumbledore's wine but today she drank his. Then they lifted there glasses to their mouths and drank. But before Harry could see Hermione swallow she turned her head and Harry thought he could hear a faint trickling sound. "Hermione, what are you doing." he said as he walked a step to face her. At that moment he discovered her spitting the wine back into the glass. Hermione gave up. "Alright Harry you caught me." she told him. "What do you mean "I caught you"." "Okay Harry. It's a long story but we have a lot of time." Harry wasn't sure if he wanted to know what he was going to hear but he kept on listening anyway. "Towards the end of spring break Ron and I started to have a lot of" she hesitated as she started to say this "well a lot of" she hesitated again "casual sex." Harry's heart sank to rock bottom. Hermione continued. "We used protection and everything but I guess it just wasn't enough." tears started running down her face now. She took a drink from her glass and then spit out the liquid as she realized what she was doing "Oh God, take this away from me." she said impatiently and Harry took the glass. Harry didn't think he could ask this but he mustered up all of his caorriage and said "Is the baby Ron's?". "Well, of course. and the worst part about it is that he doesn't know. Neither does anybody else so please keep this a secret because if Dumbledore finds out he won't let me go on the mission and if I don't avenge Ron's abduction then I don't know what I'll do." /p br /   
p Harry felt that this little tidbit of information had changed everything. Now that Hermione was carrying Ron's child it would definatly be harder to get closer to her. "You're secret's safe with me." said Harry as he wiped some of Hermione's tears from her face. br / 


	4. Chapter 4

Harry and Hermione meet Dumbledore in his office and get a not so lively pep talk on their mission.

b Chapter 4 /b : The Secret Outpost br / 

br / 

p After a very long afternoon of Harry comforting Hermione (which made him feel very uncomfortable) he was glad when he finally heard the clock strike twelve. All thoughts of Hermione's secret were lost and they instantly looked at each other in silence. Hermione broke the quietness by saying "It's time". /p br / 

p Suddenly a thought hit Harry so hard as if a hornet had stung him on the forehead. This was most likely going to be his last minutes walking through Hogwarts as a student. This was a huge deal to Harry because Hogwarts had been his only home. Life with the Dursley's had been horrible and when Hagrid had arrived through the front door on the shack by the sea Harry could only wish that this giant was there to take him off to some magical place where he could make friends with people like him and learn to live a normal, undisturbed life. And his wish came true. But now it was all coming to and end and there would be no more Hogwarts. /p br / 

p Harry floated back down to earth and suddenly remembered where they should be going right now. "We better hurry" he said as he got up out of the big chair in the common room and grabbed the handle of his suitcase. Hermione did the same thing but looked over her shoulder to check and see if anyone was watching them. After this she walked over to the portrait whole and climbed through, Harry behind her. When they got out and swung the portrait back into place the fat lady said rather rudely "What are you two doing out so late." "Business" replied Hermione and as they walked down the corridor they could hear the fat lady's voice trailing behind them "If you get caught by that awful ghost, peeves the whole school will know that you are up." /p br / 

p Harry and Hermione acknowledged this and decided it would be best to use the marauder's map and the invisibility cloak. Once they were under the cloak Harry couldn't help noticing that this was the closest he had been to Hermione in a long time. They walked slowly and quietly, hoping that Dumbledore would still be waiting for them in his office by the time they got there. Finally they reached the statue of the gargoyle and they stripped of the invisibility cloak. "Acid Drops" Harry said loudly and clearly, the way McGonagall had done the night before. The gargoyle was suddenly brought to life and leaped out of it's perching position, landing on the cold stone floor beside the door it had revealed. Hermione opened the door and they both walked through. /p br / 

p They saw Dumbledore seated at his desk with a quill in his hand writing on a piece of parchment. "Ahh, there you are. I was beginning to think that you were not going to show up." admitted the old wizard. "I was just writing to the minister of magic that you were going to be off to Cairo in a few minutes time. I assume that you are still going to follow through with this mission seeing that you're bags are pack and at your feet." He waved his wand and two chairs, from out of nowhere, landed in front of the desk. "Here, sit down." invited Dumbledore as if they were at a mere garden party eating biscuits. /p br / 

p Harry and Hermione sat down in the chairs, exactly as they had the night before, with Harry on the left and Hermione on the right. Dumbledore began to speak again. "Before you head to Cairo I would like to inform you two that what youare dealing with is nothing like you're little adventures with the Sorcerer's Stone, the Chamber of Secrets, or the deparment of mysteries. What you are fighting against now is a magic more awesome and destructible then you can possibly imagine." Harry frowned at the fact that Dumbledore had basically called their adventures at the department of mysteries, the chamber of secrets and there scramble for the sorcerer's stone mere child's play. They had both risked their lives in each of those situations. Dumbledore carried on. "The reason why I say this is because earlier today I recovered infromation that the artifact Voldemort is looking for is the Lost Ark. You know, the Ark of the Covenent, where Moses placed the smashed stone tablets that read each of the ten commandments. The Ark of the covenent that was carried around Jericho three times before the trumpets were blown and the walls of the great city crumbled to pieces. The Ark of the Covenent that is said to give it's posseser invincible power to rule the world. If Voldemort retreives this before you do, his army will march across the face of the earth." Harry shivered as he imagined thousands of Dark Marks all over the world rising into the sky. "And also in the course of this missionyou may find you're dear friend Mr. Weasley. I should also tell you that Voldemort is not alone. He has gathered a army of many soliders to release this great war upon the earth. With him stands the powerful Sola Rom, leader of the Thugees who worship the evil Indian god Kali. I do not understand how to make this statement more clear to you. You must retrieve the Ark before they do. If you don't the world will become a slave to Voldemort's evil commands." Harry and Hermione took these words in very carefully. The thought that this could very well possibly be their last chance to outwit the Dark Lord had never occured to them. The only hard part would be finding the Ark before he did. Harry knew nothing about this Lost Ark but he was sure that Hermione could fill him in later. /p 

p "Are you ready?" asked Dumbledore. After this encouraging Harry wasn't sure if he was ready or not but he cought himself saying yea anyway. After this Dumbledore waved his wand and a pot suddenly flew out form under his desk and landed on top of it "You shall travel by portkey as apparating can be to dangerous when traveling to a distant country." Harry agreed to this method of travel as he thought about one of is fingers left in this office and the rest of his body in Cairo. "When you get there you will be in a busy market street. Just ahead of you will be a small in called i Cafe Englend /i walk to the front door and say loudly and clearly i Lomas Emons /i . You should be let in and after that you will be at the secret outpost. Every day I would like a two page breif from each of you summarizing the going ons at the outpost. I think you will find you're life there comfortable and happy." i Cofortable and happy! /i Harry thought to himself. Was Dumbledore trying to cheer this conversation up after his mysterious rants about Death Eaters, the Lost Ark, and the new follower of Voldemort Sola Rom. "If you are both completely ready put one hand on the pot and you will be off." As Harry put his hand on the portkey he said to himself i Goodbye Hogwarts, goodbye Hagrid, goodby Ginny, Luna, Seamus, Dean, McGonagall and the rest of you /i . He couldn't believe it. They were really leaving. But then he remembered Hermione and how this might bring him much closer to her then ever. He smiled inside and put his hand all on the portkey. /p 


	5. Chapter 5

b Chapter 5 /b : The Secret Ritual

p Deep beneath the sands of the great Sahara dessert drums beat steadily as worshipers of the evil Indian goddess Kali gathered to celebrate a human sacrifice. The great temple was divided into two sections by a great fiery crevice with a faint trace of red smoke rising out of it. On the larger side the worshipers were gathering and wore dirty smocks and looked as if they were slaves. On the other side was the gigantic statue of Kali with her arms outstretched in front of her. Suddenly a man with a horned hat, dressed in black and red robes appeared from in between Kali's legs. This was Sola Rom, the Thuggee's leader. /p 

p "And now, our sacrifice will be chosen!" The crowd of worshipers yelled and cheered. Sola Rom scanned his eyes over the men. Then he pointed to a man in the front row. The temple quickly quieted down and a look of fear was cast upon the chosen one's face. Two guards leaped over to the other side of the temple and grabbed the man by his arms. The native screamed and kicked and squirmed but nothing could be done to save himself. They dragged him over to the other side and set him in a long, flat cage. Then they bound his hands and ankles with metal locks so that he could not move. "Oh num shi bi! Oh num shi bi!" The man screamed as two priests approached him with needles and knives. Then there was a sudden scream and the mans foot was cut off and now lay limply on the floor. Sola Rom picked it up and cut it into small pieces with his own knife. Then the two guards put the small pieces of the mans foot onto a plate. They forced the pieces down the man's throat and after the man was done swallowing he let out a blood curdling cry. The priests repeated this same action with his other foot, his ears, nose, hands and genitals. /p 

p "Come forth, the Offspring of the sacrifice!" yelled Sola Rom. Then, two children, a boy and a girl, were brought out to the altar and the same action was done to them except the man ate his own children. Then, two more priests drained the blood of the Offspring into the stone basin so that the man was laying in his own children's blood and guts. "Kill the sacrifice!" screamed Sola Rom. Now the priests and guards drowned the man in his own children's blood and he was left there to rot. /p 


End file.
